


Late Night Walk Home

by cxalo



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Drinking, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-29 02:51:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15720468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cxalo/pseuds/cxalo
Summary: Adrien walks Marinette home after a night of drinking. They fall asleep in her living room and an akuma strikes, so still-drunk Ladybug and a protective Chat Noir have to deal with that.(Some super fluffy self-indulgent type shit lol)





	Late Night Walk Home

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone is aged up to 18 and at their first year of university, the legal age over there. Marinette and Adrien are much closer these days, past the awkwardness they had when they were younger, and are very comfortable with each other. Ladybug and Chat Noir are a lot closer to each other too, still fighting Hawkmoth and his akumas, and unaware of each other's identities.  
> This is my first fic, and I would love to know your thoughts.  
> Also, sorry for any typos you may see! I proofread it, but you know how your own eyes scanning your own work makes you skip over things? Yeah I caught what I could, but I feel like I definitely missed a few. If you catch any, let me know and I'll fix em!  
> Last, I don't know how to format things on here. I know nothing about html lol. And while I could stand to learn the basics (and I just might in the future), I'm clueless as of right now. So sorry that everything's kinda packed together with no indentation and no double-spacing between paragraphs. I'll learn more as I begin to post more!  
> If you read all that, hell, if you read the fic in general, thank you so much!

Marinette stumbled into Alya and started giggling at her own clumsiness. “Hey,” she called out, gripping Alya’s shoulder to steady herself, “you better watch where you’re going.” She collapsed into a fit of giggles.

Alya, tipsy at best, rolled her eyes and smiled at her best friend. “Okay, I think that’s enough for one night.” Marinette pouted. “Hey, Adrien!” Adrien turned from the bar and towards Alya. “Come walk Marinette home for me, please?”

Adrien smiled, sweet as always. “Sure thing.” He put his arm on Marinette’s shoulder, steadying her. “Let’s go Marinette."

“Thanks, Adrien!” Alya yelled, giving him a thumbs up. “I’ll let Nino know where you went when he gets back from the bathroom!”

“Alright, see you later!” he answered back, and then he and Marinette were off.

Marinette kept trying to break away from Adrien on the walk back to her apartment, causing his grip on her arm to tighten each time. “I’m a big girl, you know,” she said indignantly. “I don’t care what Alya said; you didn’t have to walk me home. I can handle myself!” With that final sentence, she took off running.

Adrien smiled, letting her go for a bit before running after her, catching up relatively quickly. “I know you can Mari!” he said as he ran. He latched both arms around her when he reached her. “I just wanted to make sure you got home safely.”

“Pfft, I’m plenty safe!” Marinette’s pout returned. “I’m super strong, like a hero!” She flexed her muscles and Adrien chuckled. “I bet you Chat Noir doesn’t hover over Ladybug like this.”  
Now Adrien was really amused. “I don’t know about that; he seems like the protective hype."

Marinette sighed. “You’re right,” she said, slumping to the ground. “Stupid doting, reckless cat.”

“You say that as if you know the guy personally.”

“It’s just a vibe that I get.” Marinette shrugged it off.

“Well, come on hero, let’s get you off the ground.” Adrien pulled her to her feet, but she stumbled into his arms. He blushed a little, but she remained unphased.

“Fine,” she relented, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. “If you’re gonna take me home, then will you carry me?”

“What?” Adrien blinked, flustered.

“I’m tired now. Carry me?”

He threw his head back and laughed, then picked her up bridal style. She threw her arms around his neck and snuggled in close. “You know, you’re like an entirely different person when you’re drunk.”

“Why, just because I want to be carried?” Marinette smirked. “I could carry you, you know.”

“What?”

“Put me down, Agreste.” He did as he was told and soon enough, she lifted him off the ground and into her arms. She definitely could carry him, and it seemed like she could do it with ease, too. Adrien grinned. “Okay Marinette, where have you been hiding those muscles? You really moonlight as a superhero or something?”

“Something like that.” She swiftly set him down. “Alright, now that I’ve proven my point, back to carrying me.” She had a bright smile and a twinkle in her eyes like a little kid.

“Alright, come here.”

“Wait!”

“What?”

“I want a piggyback ride this time.”

“What? Why?”

“It sounds like fun. Please?”

“… Fine. Get on.” Adrien crouched down and felt Marinette hop on his back. He must have taken no more than ten steps before he felt her tugging on his shirt sleeve. “Wait. This was a bad idea. Off.”

“But you just got back on!”

“Trust me.” Her tone was serious. He let her off.

Marinette scrambled to the nearest bushes and began letting go of all the alcohol she had in her system. As she retched, Adrien rushed over and held back her hair.

“Ugh, I’m starting to remember why I never drink,” she said between heaves. “Well, this and one other reason.”

“Do you want me to go get you some water?”

“And leave me out here all alone? I thought you were keeping me safe,” she teased while she sat with her head between her knees.

“You’re right. We’re almost to your place anyway; let me know when you’re ready to move and I’ll carry you back the rest of the way. No more piggyback though.”

Marinette lifted her head and smiled at him. “Thank you, you saint. Saint Agreste,” she giggled. “Alright, I’m ready.” He picked her up and they resumed their trek. “Seriously though, thank you; I know I’m a mess right now.”

“It’s no problem at all Mari. So, uh, what’s the other thing?”

“The what?”

“The other reason you don’t drink. You said puking and one other thing are the reason you don’t drink often. What’s the other reason?”

“Oh! Um,” Marinette searched her surroundings for an excuse. What do I tell him? She thought. She couldn’t say the real reason: that she didn’t want to be drunk in case of an akuma strike. “It’s kind of personal.”

“Too personal for me?” he asked with an easy smile. God, she hated lying to that face.

“Sorry. Let’s just say that I can’t be caught with my guard down too often.” She let out a half-hearted chuckle.

“Oh. Yeah, I know what that’s like.”

“I bet you do, Mr. Model.”

“You have no idea.” His mind raced to all the times he had to turn down a drink, worried that an akuma may attack while he was not at his best.

The two arrived at her apartment, where Marinette fumbled with her keys for a good couple minutes before letting them in. “Make yourself at home,” she called out lazily before flopping face down on the couch. She lifted her head back up. “Wait, are you staying here tonight?”

Adrien’s cheeks pinked a little as he filled a glass of water in the kitchen. “Oh, I wasn’t planning on it…”

Marinette glanced at her phone as he handed her the water. “Oh yeah, thanks. Adrien, it’s like 3am, just stay here.”

“Oh, well, um, okay,” he smiled shyly and took a seat on the couch. “Do you have any plans tomorrow? I hope you don’t have to be up early.” No response. He looked up and saw that she was already knocked out, only having taken a sip of her water. Adrien chuckled to himself, then grabbed the blanket hanging off the back of the couch and draped it over her.

“Wow Princess,” he said softly, “you really are a fun drunk.” He had to restrain himself from kissing her forehead; she may not be awake to notice, but he was already acting too much like Chat Noir for his own good.

He began to make himself comfortable on the floor, grabbing the other blanket and a couch cushion for a makeshift bed. Right as he settled in, he heard a crash from a few blocks away. Plagg immediately flew out from Adrien’s pocket and in front of his face. “Ugh, can’t they wait until morning? Real morning, not three a.m.?”

Adrien looked nervously over to where Marinette lay. “Plagg, what should I do? She’s going to wonder where I went.”

“Just tell her you’re going to go check on your other friends at the bar and that she should stay somewhere safe.”

“That’s actually a great idea Plagg, thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome, just hurry up!”

Plagg flew back into his pocket as he gently shook Marinette’s shoulders. She moaned softly, rubbing her eyes. “Hmm?”

“Marinette.” Adrien tried not to blush at how adorable she looked in this moment, all sleepy-eyed and still intoxicated, with her hair sticking up in places. Now wasn’t the time for that; he’d dwell on it later. “There’s an akuma. Alya and Nino aren’t answering their phones, so I’m going to go out and make sure they’re okay. Please find somewhere safe.”

Marinette’s face pinched up. “Goddammit,” she muttered under her breath. Adrien’s eyes widened; he’d never heard her swear before, not even while drunk.

“Uh, is everything okay, Marinette?” he asked, but she wasn’t listening to him. She was lost in her own little world of drunken irritation. She rose from the couch and started ranting.

“THIS. This is why I don’t get drunk! Every time, every time I refuse a drink, knowing the consequences, and every time nothing happens! But now, the one time I manage to talk myself into it! Ugh. ‘Oh, it’ll be fine; akumas never show,’ idiot. The one time I let loose though? God, it’s like Hawkmoth fucking knows! Jesus, Tikki, spots on!”

Adrien gaped as an angry, swaying Marinette transformed into an angry, swaying Ladybug before his very eyes. He would definitely have to think about that later, probably have a long conversation about it, but for now he had to stop a drunken Ladybug from going into a battle she clearly wasn’t ready for.

“Bug, wait!” he called out, grabbing her arm before she could take off. “I think you should leave this one to Chat Noir. If you haven’t noticed, you aren’t really in the fighting condition at the moment.”

“I know, but he’s going to wonder where I am. Plus, I’m the only one who can purify the akuma.”

“Don’t worry, I think he’ll understand, and he can always bring the akuma to you afterwards to purify.”

“But he doesn’t know where I am…”

“Come on Ladybug, don’t you trust your partner?” he asked with a glint in his eye.

“Well yeah, but I don’t see how he could possibly know where I’m—“

“My Lady, trust me,” he said, eyes still twinkling but face serious. Then, grin breaking across his face, he cried “Plagg, claws out!” He transformed in front of her, and Chat Noir leapt to the window. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring back the akuma. Just stay here and stay safe.” He winked, then disappeared into the night.

All the while, Ladybug just stood there, mouth agape and completely dumbfounded. Wondering exactly how drunk she was right then, she called off her transformation.

“Uh, Tikki?”

“Yes, Marinette?”

“That was Adrien, right? Adrien Agreste? One of my best friends, former love of my life?”

Tikki snorted. “Former?”

“Hush. That was him? Who transformed just now? Into my closest partner and endearing pain in my ass? I’m not super drunk or dreaming right now?”

“Well you still have alcohol in your system, but what you saw is real.” Tikki giggled. “I’m surprised it took this many years for you two to find out; you’re probably the most cautious Ladybug to date. Although, cautious isn’t the word I’d use to describe our situation right now.”

“Wait, you knew?! And you didn’t tell me?”

“I couldn’t. I’m bound by an ancient oath and a lot of magic. But you two are so close on both sides of the mask, I thought it would have slipped much sooner.”

Marinette dropped onto the couch. “This is too much; I can’t think about this right now. Maybe over coffee in the morning, but I’m not ready for this shit yet.”

“Can you get me some cookies and be not ready for this as Ladybug? Chat Noir’s still going to need you to purify that akuma when he returns.”

“Ah, he’s coming back! Duh, I can’t believe I already forgot.” She blew her bangs out of her face and grabbed some cookies from the kitchen. “I guess I am dealing with this tonight after all.” She fed Tikki, transformed back, and put on a pot of coffee for her and Chat while she waited for his return.

The coffee had just finished when she heard a thump at her window. She let Chat in, then purified the akuma and restored the city before pouring each of them a cup of coffee. She handed one to Chat Noir and he burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… never in my life would I have pictured this.”

Ladybug immediately grew insecure. “Is it really that hard to believe I’m Ladybug?”

Chat’s eyes widened. “Oh no, not that! Marinette, you are absolutely the kind of person I expect to be under that mask. Brave, strong, compassionate towards everyone; I can’t think of a better fit!” Ladybug blushed and looked away. “What I meant was that I never expected to see Ladybug in such a casual domestic setting, still in costume and pouring me a cup of coffee.”

Ladybug chuckled at that. “Okay, I see what you mean now; it is pretty funny.” She joined him at the dining table. “You really mean that though? I feel like the girl behind the mask isn’t as exciting. Clumsy fashion student doesn’t sound nearly as impressive as hero of Paris.”

“Are you kidding me? You are the same girl, inside and out! And now that I know, I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner. You are amazing, Marinette. The perfect Ladybug.”  
If she wasn’t blushing before, she certainly was now. “Oh, stop it.”

“I’m only speaking the truth, My Lady,” Chat Noir purred.

“Um…”

“What is it?”

“You know what comes next, right? What conversation we’re about to have?” Chat nodded, a little uneasy. “Do you think we should… detransform for this?”

He smiled, the same smile Marinette always saw on Adrien. It was unmistakable now. “Yeah, probably.” He released his transformation, and Ladybug followed.

“So…” Marinette started.

“So…”

“A little weird without the masks, huh?” she joked.

He smiled. “Just a bit.”

“Apparently our kwamis have known for a long time.”

Adrien shot a look at Plagg. “So I’ve heard.”

“I still can’t believe it. All this time it’s been you, right here in front of me.”

“I feel pretty much the same way right now.” Marinette began to crack up. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, it’s,” Marinette said between giggles, “remember when we were teens, and Chat Noir told Ladybug how he felt on that rooftop?”

Adrien proceeded with caution. “… Yes, and you told me there was someone else. Who was it?”

“It was you!” she yelled, and he blinked in confusion. “I had the absolute biggest crush on you as a teen, and I turned you down because of you! Oh man.”

“Wait, you what?” Adrien gaped. “For how long?”

“Yeah, I did, and for pretty much the entire time we were in school together.” Marinette smiled sheepishly.

“How the heck did I miss that?” This was monumental. Actually, this entire night was almost too much information for Adrien to handle.

“You were always super busy, and super oblivious,” she teased. “Also, you were too over-the-moon for Ladybug to pay attention to any other girls like that. You would not believe how jealous I was of my own alter ego.”

“Wow. So because I was obsessed with you, I completely took for granted the version of you that was right in front of me all along?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“Ugh, I was such an idiot.” He took a sip of his coffee.

“Hey, I wouldn’t go that far. Neither one of us realized. If anything, I’m the idiot, trying so hard to protect our identities. I think I like this way better.”

Adrien’s eyes softened. “Me too.” Then the smirk returned. “So, huge crush, huh?”

“That’s putting it mildly. I was head over heels for you, Agreste.”

“I cannot believe I had Ladybug in the palm of my hands this whole time.”

“You still do!” Tikki chimed in, leaving Marinette looking mortified.

“Huh?”

“Oh for God’s sake,” Plagg flew in. “Just as clueless as ever. Clearly she still loves you, dumbass.”

Marinette’s face lit on fire. “Thanks for that, guys.”

“Well, you were never going to say it,” Tikki started.

“And he CLEARLY was never going to realize it,” Plagg finished.

There was a perfect mix of horror and indignation on the heroes’ faces, but Marinette’s cheeks were much redder than Adrien’s. “I uh—“

“I really am a dumbass,” Adrien cut her off. He’d heard enough; it was time for him to speak. “I can’t believe I never noticed how you felt all these years. I was blinded by Ladybug, yes, but that shouldn’t account for how totally oblivious I’ve been. I’m sorry Marinette.” He rubbed his neck shyly. “And with or without the mask, I want you to know that I love you, too.”

“FINALLY!” Plagg cried, earning a nudge from Tikki.

“You love… really?” Marinette couldn’t believe her ears. She knew she sobered up a lot from earlier in the night, but she still felt like she was in some sort of drunken bliss.

“Yes, I mean it. Marinette, I—“ her lips were on his before he could even finish saying it again.

They stayed that way for a while, Tikki and Plagg snickering in the background. Eventually Adrien was the one to pull away, enamored and breathless. “Wow,” was all he managed to say.

“Yeah.” Marinette planted a few more small kisses on his mouth. “I love you, Kitty,” she smiled into their next kiss.

He pulled away once more, returning the smile. “I love you too, Bug.”


End file.
